NYT Spelling Bee Answers for February 29, 2020
Game Summary
| Center Letter | R |
|---|---|
| Outer Letters | a, b, l, o, t, y |
| # of Pangrams | 1 (Perfect: none) |
| Total Words | 54 words |
| Total Points | 232 points |
| Genius Level | 162 points |
| Bingo? | No |
Table of Contents
As you scroll down this page, the clues get progressively more revealing. So scroll slowly!
- Spelling Bee Grid
- Two-Letter List (2LL) Hints
- Three-Letter List (3LL) Hints
- Extra Letter Hints (Incrementally Revealing) 🤯
- Today's Complete Solution
- Answer Definitions
If you're just here for a list of NYT Spelling Bee answers, Jump down to the answers ↓ (Spoiler Alert!).
Spelling Bee Grid
The following table shows the standard Spelling Bee summary grid, which lists word lengths across the top and letters down the left-hand side. The cell where the word lengths and letters intersect displays the number of words in today's puzzle with the corresponding first letter and word length.
| 4</th><th>5</th><th>6</th><th>7</th><th>8</th><th>9</th><th>10 | Σ | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| A | 1 | 6 | 2 | - | - | - | - | 9 |
| B | 5 | - | 1 | - | - | - | - | 6 |
| L | - | 2 | - | - | - | - | 1 | 3 |
| O | 1 | - | 2 | 1 | - | - | - | 4 |
| R | 4 | 5 | 2 | 5 | 1 | - | - | 17 |
| T | 8 | 4 | 2 | 1 | - | - | - | 15 |
| Y | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | Σ | 19 | 17 | 9 | 7 | 1 | - | 1 | 54 |
Two-Letter List (2LL) Hints
The following list shows the number of solution words that begin with the corresponding two letters.
| A | AB×1 AL×1 AO×2 AR×4 AT×1 |
|---|---|
| B | BA×1 BO×2 BR×3 |
| L | LA×2 LO×1 |
| O | OR×4 |
| R | RA×4 RO×13 |
| T | TA×7 TO×3 TR×4 TY×1 |
| Y |
Three-Letter List (3LL) Hints
The following list shows the number of solution words that begin with the corresponding three letters.
| A | ABO×1 ALT×1 AOR×2 ARB×1 ARR×2 ART×1 ATT×1 |
|---|---|
| B | BAR×1 BOA×1 BOO×1 BRA×3 |
| L | LAB×2 LOR×1 |
| O | ORA×4 |
| R | RAL×1 RAT×3 ROA×1 ROB×1 ROL×2 ROO×1 ROT×5 ROY×3 |
| T | TAB×1 TAR×6 TOO×1 TOR×2 TRA×1 TRO×3 TYR×1 |
| Y |
Extra Letter Hints (Incrementally Revealing)
The table below lists all of the solutions to today's puzzle, but they're concealed. You can click the plus button (+) to reveal additional letters, one-by-one.
Concealed definitions are provided as additional clues. You can toggle concealment of the definitions by clicking on the concealer bar or the text that appears when the definition is visible.
Pangrams are marked with a dagger symbol (†).
| Word | 2L Ref | Definition (click to reveal) |
|---|---|---|
| ab... | AB5 | An early termination of a mission, action, or procedure in relation to missiles or spacecraft; the craft making such a mission. |
| al... | AL5 | A table or similar flat-topped structure used for religious rites. |
| ao... | AO5 | The great artery which carries the blood from the heart to all parts of the body except the lungs; the main trunk of the arterial system. |
| ao.... | AO6 | Of or relating to the aorta. |
| ar... | AR5 | A shady sitting place or pergola usually in a park or garden, surrounded by climbing shrubs, vines or other vegetation. |
| ar... | AR5 | an ordered series or arrangement. |
| ar.... | AR6 | A dry creek or streambed, a gulch which temporarily or seasonally fills and flows (after sufficient rain). |
| ar.. | AR4 | Inclined toward paintings, music, etc. |
| at... | AT5 | An essential oil extracted from flowers. |
| ba.. | BA4 | The point that stands backward in an arrow, fishhook, etc., to prevent it from being easily extracted. Hence: Anything which stands out with a sharp point obliquely or crosswise to something else. |
| bo.. | BO4 | A wild boar (Sus scrofa), the wild ancestor of the domesticated pig. |
| bo.. | BO4 | A peasant. |
| br.. | BR4 | A human child. A child who is regarded as mischievous, unruly, spoiled, or selfish. |
| br.... | BR6 | Characteristic of a brat; unruly and impolite. |
| br.. | BR4 | Of an animal (now chiefly of animals related to the ass or donkey, and the camel): to make its cry. |
| la... | LA5 | Alternative spelling of labour |
| la........ † | LA10 | A room, building or institution equipped for scientific research, experimentation or analysis. |
| lo... | LO5 | A heavier motor vehicle designed to carry goods or to pull a semi-trailer designed to carry goods |
| or.. | OR4 | Relating to the mouth. |
| or.... | OR6 | By mouth. |
| or.... | OR6 | Someone who orates or delivers an oration. |
| or..... | OR7 | A private chapel or prayer room. |
| ra... | RA5 | A public gathering or mass meeting that is not mainly a protest and is organized to inspire enthusiasm for a cause. |
| ra..... | RA7 | A swiftly repeated knocking sound. |
| ra.... | RA6 | That rattles. |
| ra... | RA5 | Resembling or characteristic of a certain rodent. |
| ro.. | RO4 | To make a loud, deep cry, especially from pain, anger, or other strong emotion. |
| ro... | RO5 | A system of serfdom used in Central Europe, under which a tenant's rent was paid in forced labour. |
| ro.. | RO4 | To cause to revolve by turning over and over; to move by turning on an axis; to impel forward by causing to turn over and over on a supporting surface. |
| ro..... | RO7 | Alternative form of roll bar (“an anti-roll bar”) |
| ro.. | RO4 | The part of a plant, generally underground, that anchors and supports the plant body, absorbs and stores water and nutrients, and in some plants is able to perform vegetative reproduction. |
| ro.... | RO6 | Capable of rotation. |
| ro..... | RO7 | One who or that which rotates. |
| ro...... | RO8 | of, pertaining to, or causing rotation; rotational |
| ro.. | RO4 | Clipping of rotogravure. |
| ro... | RO5 | A rotating part of a mechanical device; for example, in an electric motor, generator, alternator, or pump. |
| ro... | RO5 | Of or relating to a monarch or their family. |
| ro..... | RO7 | In a royal manner; in a manner having to do with royalty. |
| ro..... | RO7 | The rank, status, power or authority of a monarch. |
| ta... | TA5 | A small drum. In traditional music, a small drum played with a single stick, leaving the player's other hand free to play a melody on a three-holed pipe. |
| ta.. | TA4 | Colocasia esculenta, raised as a food primarily for its corm, which distantly resembles potato. |
| ta... | TA5 | A card game played in various different variations. |
| ta... | TA5 | To delay; to be late or tardy in beginning or doing anything. |
| ta.. | TA4 | Sharp to the taste; acid; sour. |
| ta.... | TA6 | A red compound deposited during wine making; mostly potassium hydrogen tartrate — a source of cream of tartar. |
| ta.... | TA6 | In a tart manner; sourly or bitterly. |
| to..... | TO7 | A row of buttons, usually marked with icons, used to activate the functions of an application or operating system |
| to.. | TO4 | A traditional Japanese lantern. |
| to.. | TO4 | An injury or wrong. |
| tr.. | TR4 | A small, typically rectangular or round, flat, and rigid object upon which things are carried. |
| tr... | TR5 | A supernatural being of varying size, now especially a grotesque humanoid creature living in caves or hills or under bridges. |
| tr.. | TR4 | An ugly old woman, a hag. |
| tr.. | TR4 | Of, or relating to, troy weight. |
| ty.. | TY4 | A beginner; a novice. |
Today's Complete Solution
The words that follow are a complete listing of all acceptable words in today's New York Time Spelling Bee puzzle.
Next to the answer word you'll see the two-letter reference (2L Ref) in parentheses. We added that 2L Ref for easier translation of the spoiler-avoidant language you see on the Spelling Bee Forum and Twitter. The 2L Ref signifies a word's two start letters followed by the total number of letters in the word.
- abort (AB5)
- altar (AL5)
- aorta (AO5)
- aortal (AO6)
- arbor (AR5)
- array (AR5)
- arroyo (AR6)
- arty (AR4)
- attar (AT5)
- barb (BA4)
- boar (BO4)
- boor (BO4)
- brat (BR4)
- bratty (BR6)
- bray (BR4)
- labor (LA5)
- laboratory† (LA10)
- lorry (LO5)
- oral (OR4)
- orally (OR6)
- orator (OR6)
- oratory (OR7)
- rally (RA5)
- ratatat (RA7)
- rattly (RA6)
- ratty (RA5)
- roar (RO4)
- robot (RO5)
- roll (RO4)
- rollbar (RO7)
- root (RO4)
- rotary (RO6)
- rotator (RO7)
- rotatory (RO8)
- roto (RO4)
- rotor (RO5)
- royal (RO5)
- royally (RO7)
- royalty (RO7)
- tabor (TA5)
- taro (TA4)
- tarot (TA5)
- tarry (TA5)
- tart (TA4)
- tartar (TA6)
- tartly (TA6)
- toolbar (TO7)
- toro (TO4)
- tort (TO4)
- tray (TR4)
- troll (TR5)
- trot (TR4)
- troy (TR4)
- tyro (TY4)
Answer Definitions
- abort (noun): An early termination of a mission, action, or procedure in relation to missiles or spacecraft; the craft making such a mission.
- altar (noun): A table or similar flat-topped structure used for religious rites.
- aorta (noun): The great artery which carries the blood from the heart to all parts of the body except the lungs; the main trunk of the arterial system.
- aortal (adjective): Of or relating to the aorta.
- arbor (noun): A shady sitting place or pergola usually in a park or garden, surrounded by climbing shrubs, vines or other vegetation.
- array (noun): an ordered series or arrangement.
- arroyo (noun): A dry creek or streambed, a gulch which temporarily or seasonally fills and flows (after sufficient rain).
- arty (adjective): Inclined toward paintings, music, etc.
- attar (noun): An essential oil extracted from flowers.
- barb (noun): The point that stands backward in an arrow, fishhook, etc., to prevent it from being easily extracted. Hence: Anything which stands out with a sharp point obliquely or crosswise to something else.
- boar (noun): A wild boar (Sus scrofa), the wild ancestor of the domesticated pig.
- boor (noun): A peasant.
- brat (noun): A human child. A child who is regarded as mischievous, unruly, spoiled, or selfish.
- bratty (adjective): Characteristic of a brat; unruly and impolite.
- bray (verb): Of an animal (now chiefly of animals related to the ass or donkey, and the camel): to make its cry.
- labor (noun): Alternative spelling of labour
- laboratory† (noun): A room, building or institution equipped for scientific research, experimentation or analysis.
- lorry (noun): A heavier motor vehicle designed to carry goods or to pull a semi-trailer designed to carry goods
- oral (adjective): Relating to the mouth.
- orally (adverb): By mouth.
- orator (noun): Someone who orates or delivers an oration.
- oratory (noun): A private chapel or prayer room.
- rally (noun): A public gathering or mass meeting that is not mainly a protest and is organized to inspire enthusiasm for a cause.
- ratatat (noun): A swiftly repeated knocking sound.
- rattly (adjective): That rattles.
- ratty (adjective): Resembling or characteristic of a certain rodent.
- roar (verb): To make a loud, deep cry, especially from pain, anger, or other strong emotion.
- robot (noun): A system of serfdom used in Central Europe, under which a tenant's rent was paid in forced labour.
- roll (verb): To cause to revolve by turning over and over; to move by turning on an axis; to impel forward by causing to turn over and over on a supporting surface.
- rollbar (noun): Alternative form of roll bar (“an anti-roll bar”)
- root (noun): The part of a plant, generally underground, that anchors and supports the plant body, absorbs and stores water and nutrients, and in some plants is able to perform vegetative reproduction.
- rotary (adjective): Capable of rotation.
- rotator (noun): One who or that which rotates.
- rotatory (adjective): of, pertaining to, or causing rotation; rotational
- roto (noun): Clipping of rotogravure.
- rotor (noun): A rotating part of a mechanical device; for example, in an electric motor, generator, alternator, or pump.
- royal (adjective): Of or relating to a monarch or their family.
- royally (adverb): In a royal manner; in a manner having to do with royalty.
- royalty (noun): The rank, status, power or authority of a monarch.
- tabor (noun): A small drum. In traditional music, a small drum played with a single stick, leaving the player's other hand free to play a melody on a three-holed pipe.
- taro (noun): Colocasia esculenta, raised as a food primarily for its corm, which distantly resembles potato.
- tarot (noun): A card game played in various different variations.
- tarry (verb): To delay; to be late or tardy in beginning or doing anything.
- tart (adjective): Sharp to the taste; acid; sour.
- tartar (noun): A red compound deposited during wine making; mostly potassium hydrogen tartrate — a source of cream of tartar.
- tartly (adverb): In a tart manner; sourly or bitterly.
- toolbar (noun): A row of buttons, usually marked with icons, used to activate the functions of an application or operating system
- toro (noun): A traditional Japanese lantern.
- tort (noun): An injury or wrong.
- tray (noun): A small, typically rectangular or round, flat, and rigid object upon which things are carried.
- troll (noun): A supernatural being of varying size, now especially a grotesque humanoid creature living in caves or hills or under bridges.
- trot (noun): An ugly old woman, a hag.
- troy (adjective): Of, or relating to, troy weight.
- tyro (noun): A beginner; a novice.